Not the One
by Mandz0805
Summary: Lorelai is getting married, but not to the man she loves. My first Gilmore Girls fic.
1. Chapter 1

She could hear her heart banging in her chest, she could hear herself gasping for air, she couldn't hear any other noises around her.

She moved her head around, her motions were sharp.

 _Where was he?_ She needed to find him now. She needed to tell him how she felt. Her heart hurt at the thought of him slaving away, of him unable to attend her big day. He had avoided talking about it when she had probed him about whether he would be there.

Her heart had sank when Sookie told her just before she walked down the aisle, but she had taken a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders, chin held high with resolve. Until she had spotted him in the far distance, his skulking figure, big and broad, even from afar he had looked deflated. She had never seen him look deflated before. That's when she began to panic, her mind hadn't even caught up with her physical response. She was feeling stressed and anxious before she even knew why.

At the end of the altar, Max stood, his expression was one of pure and utter devotion. He looked like he felt he was the luckiest man in the world. She watched as his expression changed from peaceful contentment to one of concern.

He had been relieved when he'd watched her walk down the aisle, due to the culmination of months of rockiness and uncertainty, finally their love would be solidified by ceremony.

That relief slipped away like water in a pipe as her wide eyes shone with fear. She continued to walk towards him, seemingly being kept upright by the sturdy arm of her father who hadn't noticed the trepidation in the wisp of the women walking beside him.

When she reached him, she held his hands in hers and attempted to shake off her feelings with a twitchy smile which threatened not to emerge on her face at all. Her hands shook in his.

"Lorelai, are you….?" He whispered, not really wanting to hear her answer, bracing himself for the worst, he let his words taper off.

She did what he knew she would do deep down. She forced the smile on her face to be wide and bright. "I'm good…I'm good…" She whispered in return, her voice wavered and choked, tears sprung to her eyes as she tried to sell the idea that she was exactly where she wanted to be.

She looked towards the Minister, encouraging him to continue. She wanted to appear eager to her husband to be, like she couldn't wait to get started, like this was what she had been waiting for her whole life.

Max felt she wanted it to be over with. _Paper over the cracks._

He looked at her again "Lorelai, are you sure everything's OK? We can take a minute if you need to?" He kept his voice quiet, not wanting to air their private business to the enquiring eyes of the waiting audience. An audience, he felt, that always knew she would run.

"It's fine, it's fine…I'm OK, really" Another watery smile adorned her face, whilst tears quietly but steadily slipped out of her eyes. She looked down to the ground to hide her grief. He tilted her head up with his hand, pinching her chin gently but firmly between thumb and finger.

"Don't." he said firmly, he meant to say more but looking steadily into her eyes, they told him everything he needed to know. He shook his head with a weary sadness. "Go" His voice shaky, but sure. He almost thought she might have rolled her eyes at him, called him crazy and told him he was imagining things.

She heard his instruction, hesitated momentarily at what she should do next. Ultimately her choice was already made. She hitched up the white shimmering skirt of her dress and looked at him, her eyes were sorrowful.

Then she turned and ran, she heard a collective gasp from the audience, who up until now had not heard enough to surmise what was occurring in front of them.

She ran with all her might. Away from the crowd, away from the beautiful ceremony set up with so much care by her mother. She avoided the disappointed gaze of her mother, the grave face of her father and the shocked stare from Rory. _Rory.…Oh God…s_ he would have to explain everything to Rory. _She would understand. She hoped she would understand._

She pushed away these thoughts, distancing them from her mind as she distanced herself from the crowd, from the people who raised her, supported her, rallied for her. They couldn't matter, there was one person she needed to find right now. _How could she have been so stupid? How could she have missed it?_ It was so clear to her now, so monumentally apparent.

Sookie said he was hanging lanterns all around the town, lanterns her mother had insisted on, lanterns that they hadn't had time to hang. Emily had been pissed, the decorators had panicked. They had another event, there were too many lanterns. Lorelai couldn't care less, _Mom it's OK,_ the wedding will go on without the lanterns, she scoffed at this memory now. Maybe she had known then that the lanterns were the least of their worries.

So Luke had come to the rescue, without her knowing.

She had asked Sookie where he was, she couldn't see him in the rows of people.

"Hes hanging the lanterns" Sookie whispered out of the side of her mouth, seconds as the ceremony was supposed to start, anxious to get to her own seat. Not wishing to displease Emily.

Lorelai's head had whipped down to look at Sookie in disbelief, "He's what?"

Sookie looked at her with regretful eyes, she had always known what Lorelai was only just realising, or just recognising maybe.

That's when it had all come crashing down on Lorelai, her heart had suddenly exploded with emotion. Luke hadn't been able to face attending the wedding but he was still there for her, he was still saving the day for her even though he hated the very day he was saving.

 _She had to find him._

Her calves were starting to burn, she couldn't see him anywhere. Just when she was feeling a weight in her stomach, rising to her throat, a lump she couldn't swallow, before she could contemplate her next steps, she noticed movement from Patty's studio. The door was open, she knew there was extra food and drink being kept in there for the reception afterwards.

Her body began to move towards it, she slipped through the open doors, sliding them gently to close behind her, the musty air of the wooden lodge calmed her slightly. "Luke…" the words could barely be heard, she said them more to reassure herself, to reassert herself.

He was stood towards the stage, rummaging into the box of lanterns, he looked up with large eyes. The words _deer_ and _headlight_ passed briefly through her mind. He straightened up slowly as she walked closer to him. Her steps deliberate but cautious like she didn't want to scare him away with any sudden movements. Their eyes fixed on one another, but not saying a word.

 _He knew why she was here._

She kept moving towards him until she could feel the heat of his flannelled chest through the sheer fabric of her dress. She raised her arms to cup his face, her eyes saying more than words could. _It's you, its always been you, I love you, I made a mistake, I'm sorry._

She brought her face to his, nuzzling his nose, her lips brushing his and their joint tears mingling together.

The tenderness of their movements continued for a few still moments until her tongue slipped out and briefly swept against. Then his lips were fully on hers and their movements changed to frantic. She pulled his shirt of his shoulders and he hesitated for only a half a second before helping her to remove her dress. They sank to the ground, their legs week from relief and lust.

Max, Rory, their family and friends, were pushed to the back of their minds. They would worry about that later.


	2. Chapter 2

She could feel the tickle of silk against her chin, the dead weight of Lukes arm across her body, just underneath her breasts. The smell of musty wood and someone calling for her.

"Mom?" An urgent whisper, getting closer to behind the stage in the studio.

Lorelai lifted her head to see her daughter standing over her and looking down at her and the slumbering lover nestled to her side, holding her tightly, his head in the crook of her neck, his lips pressed against her skin. Their bodies were covered partly by her wedding dress, but enough was on show for Lorelai to blush and clench her hand around the dress covering her modesty more tightly.

Rory averted her eyes, she had never even seen her mother in bed with a man, clothed or otherwise, let alone naked on the ground. It made her feel out of sorts to think that her mother had been so wrapped up in making love to Luke that it hadn't mattered where or the consequence.

She watched her mothers face change from embarrassment to confusion. Their eyes met, blue on blue and there was an unspoken agreement to not dwell on the discomfort of the situation, they could file it away for another time.

Rory pushed embarrassment aside and whispered again "Mom, you need to wake up, get up now" She spoke with urgency. "The whole town will be here soon!"

The words finally seemed to make sense to Lorelai as she sat up with a jolt, the dress falling from her chest, she went to grab it as Rory shifted her gaze.

Lorelai patted Luke's arms and shook him a little. "Luke, Luke, Hon wake up"

The use of the endearment, usually reserved for just Rory, made a lump materialise out of nowhere in Rory's throat.

He started to stir, Lorelai hadn't anticipated them waking up together like this, neither of them had time for the usual morning after tenderness or soft words. She felt unjustifiable robbed of the moment.

"Lorelai? Whats..?" He muttered, sitting up and reaching for her. He hadn't noticed Rory standing there.

Rory gave a small cough and he finally looked up at her. "Oh Rory…God" He looked down then at his nakedness, much more of him was on display now that Lorelai had sat up and clenched her dress to her body.

Both girls, watched as Luke blushed and tried to cover himself and finally as realisation came to him. He reached for his own flannel shirt and in one quick move, pulled it over his head. He picked up his undershirt and then looked to Lorelai. "Here wear this" he said tenderly, he moved to help her put it on, and Rory turned her back to give them a moment. She heard whispers and a soft kiss. She didn't want to break the moment, but the townspeople would be over here soon.

"Erm guys…" she spoke, her back still turned. "You need to move, now" She turned back around, her mother had on Lukes T-shirt, which thankfully covered her torso and most of her thigh.

Lorelai stood and turned to Luke, "Rory said they're all heading this way, no point in all this food going to waste" Her voice was trembling slightly, tears threatening to flow, the euphoric rush of being with Luke was beginning to die down and the reality was kicking in.

Luke came to his senses and stood up, "Let's go through to the back, when they're all in here, we'll go out the exit" He held his hand out to her, she took it, they were united at least, they were staring deeply at each other, and she gave a watery smile.

Rory was angry at her mother's rashness but was touched to witness the tenderness with which Luke was showing towards her mother. It didn't even seem odd to her to see the gruff diner owner showing such a different demeanour. In a way it felt natural, this was the way it was always meant to be.

They began to move to the back room, Rory picked up her mothers white, shimmering shoes and walked ahead to the back room. The couple joined her as she walked in, Luke fully dressed and carrying her mothers dress in one arm and his other clasping Lorelai around the waist. Her mother seemed the most vulnerable, half dressed, bare foot, and shaking slightly from the cold, still air in the studio.

"Im going to run home and grab you some clothes, and I'll be back, Ill only be gone a few minutes" Her eyes were wide as she spoke softly but firmly to Lorelai as if speaking to a young child.

Lorelai nodded tearfully, not trusting herself to speak. She watched as Rory rushed out of the back exit.

She turned and buried her head into Lukes chest, feeling comforted by the smell of the Diner from his shirt. She took deep calming breaths and the aroma seemed to settle her whilst Luke stroked her back.

"Its going to be OK" He soothed as she pulled her head from his chest and looked up at him.

She nodded, wanting to believe him. "I've hurt Max, my parents will be so disappointed, more disappointed, if that's possible, the cost for the wedding, Sookie made that amazing wedding cake…" the rambling list was threatening to continue so Luke cut her off.

"Shhh calm down, it's OK" Her cupped her face in his large hands and kissed her softly several times on her lips. "You're right, people will be mad and disappointed, but it doesn't matter, you couldn't have gone through with it if it wasn't right"

She smiled lightly, and nodded. "I know, I know" She looked down "It's just I should have…"

"You made a mistake, we both made mistakes, but I'm with you now, you're not facing people alone"

She looked up at him, "I'm not?" She reached her arms up to wrap them around his neck.

He pulled closer, his hands gripping her butt and then resting on her lower back. He shook his head "No you're not, you're never going to be alone again, you're never going to have to deal with any of this alone, I promise"

She nodded, his hand clasping her chin, "I love you, you know that right?" She asked softly.

"I know that and I love you too, always have, always will"

She smiled and they kissed deeply, she felt safe again, cocooned in his embrace, her sense overloaded with him and only him. Nothing could hurt them now.

A few moments later, they heard the sound of people, a crowd, chatter, some laughs, but a generally the sound of a group of people, perturbed by the events of the evening.

Luke and Lorelai pulled away from each other, arms still grasping one another and looked questioningly into each others eyes.

"What if they come in here?" Lorelai whispered.

He shrugged, there was not much they could do but wait and hope no one entered. Luke shifted them away from the door, so that they wouldn't be in plain sight should someone enter. He guided Lorelai to an old piano stool that belonged to Miss Patty. He said down on the threadbare stool and waited for the puff of dust to settle before pulling Lorelai onto his lap. She cradled his head in her arms and he stroked her legs. They kissed and stared at each other, not speaking. The feelings of guilt and panic seemed to take a backseat when they were like this, in a bubble.

This was the scene that confronted Rory when she returned, her movements were careful and quiet, not wanting to draw attention to the small little storage room in the studio. She opened and then closed the door softly behind her and tiptoed inside. She watched the couple before her, lost in each other, her mom in Luke's hold, their noses nudging as they whispered warm words. Her mom noticeably calmer.

She made herself known by moving towards them. They turned to look at her and Lorelai detangled herself from Luke and gratefully took the bag of clothes from her daughter. "Thanks Sweets"

She pulled out the clothes, handing them to Luke to hold. Rory turned around to let her mother dress. She had seen her mother get dressed many times before, but it seemed wrong to share the view with Luke.

"Everyone's here, the good news is no one is milling around outside, so we should be able to leave without anyone seeing us" Rory explained.

"What about your grandparents? Are they here or did they leave?" Lorelai asked with a shaky voice, Luke was stood behind her with his arms around her waist, she held onto him tighter.

Rory turned around to see Lorelai fully dressed in jeans, a blue sweater, boots and a jacket. She breathed a sigh of relief, she was more comfortable now that everyone was clothed.

She shrugged her shoulders "They left….they were pretty mad"

Lorelai nodded, she could handle mad, she deserved mad, she was glad they had left. She looked up, "..And…and Max…is he?" She bit on her lip, and Luke tightened his hold on her, the thought of her almost marrying someone else still made him feel uneasy.

Rory cocked her head, she knew her mother wanted an easy answer but she couldn't lie. "Distraught…he was pretty bad, Miss Patty and Babette tried to console him but….he left too"

This information made Lorelai cry and cover her hands on her face. Once the initial sobs were released she composed herself. "Lets go, lets get out of here…"

Rory peered out of the door, and indicated that the coast was clear, they hurried away from the studio, and towards the Gilmore house.


End file.
